Episode 5 | Helena Viñes Fiestas: Taxonomy, SFDR & the Future of EU Green Finance

Helena Viñes Fiestas is Commissioner of Spain’s financial markets authority (CNMV) and was recently reappointed as Chair of the EU Platform on Sustainable Finance. She has been at the heart of Europe’s sustainable finance architecture since its earliest days, helping to shape the EU’s approach to taxonomy, disclosure, and transition planning.

In this episode of The Transition Tapes, Helena joins Hugh Wheelan for a wide-ranging conversation on where EU sustainable finance stands today — and where it goes next. Drawing on her unique “inside track” perspective, Helena reflects on how Europe’s green finance framework has evolved, the realities of policy simplification, and the challenges of maintaining ambition amid political and market pressure.

Hear Helena talk about:

How the different pieces of EU sustainable finance policy - from the Taxonomy to SFDR - fit together, and how they are beginning to influence real-world capital expenditure toward net-zero business models.
How the role of the EU Platform on Sustainable Finance has evolved as a multi-stakeholder advisory body, and what to expect from its next mandate.
The Omnibus simplification process, why simplification matters, and where the risks of politicisation and regulatory rollback lie.
Common misconceptions around SFDR, what it can realistically deliver, and what comes next in its review.

Beyond policy, Helena also shares how books, travel, music, and good food shape her thinking and provide balance alongside the demands of financial regulation.

Don’t miss Helena’s favourite reads and her Transition Tapes playlist.

Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1PeAruu9nxk8SDogYDrJ6A?si=9vaISo--QTilK9819BtUEw

Apple Playlist: https://music.apple.com/gb/playlist/helena-vi%C3%B1es-fiestas-the-transition-tapes/pl.u-EdAVz8YIX4lxP8

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